Adams County, Wisconsin: hazard risk
FEMA rates Adams County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 70.9 of 100, higher than 70% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 477 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.4 | $5.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.6 | $1.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | $773K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.4 | $1.9M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.5 | $9.6M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.4 | $678K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 45.6 | $47K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.6 | $36K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.6 | $47K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 32.5 | $80K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 53.1 | $37K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 50.4 | $910 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21.2 | $21K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 9.5 | $1K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 171 | 0 | $9.1M | 28th of 72 | 1688th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 109 | 0 | $2.5M | 28th of 72 | 1591st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 88 | 1 | $39K | 46th of 72 | 1124th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 21 | 0 | $3.8M | 38th of 72 | 2089th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 20 | 1 | – | 29th of 72 | 809th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 18 | 0 | – | 31st of 72 | 1396th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 0 | $15M | 47th of 72 | 1954th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 29th of 72 | 1088th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 6 | 0 | $92K | 34th of 72 | 892nd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 0 | $240K | 53rd of 72 | 2489th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 1 | $2.3M | 4th of 72 | 432nd of 2,972 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | – | 47th of 72 | 1395th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Adams County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.